This is a common warning for numerous people that sharing custody a pet post-separation is a terrible idea. The consensus suggests such setups prevent former couples from moving forward, cause practical headaches, lead to tension, and are a nuisance for all parties. Apparently, in a revelation worthy of a direct-to-platform film, it reportedly leads to the canine in question to become depressed.
Not to downplay the mental health of dogs – countless people speak of their deep emotional capacity. For a standout portrayal in canine melancholy, simply recall recent cinema. I firmly believe that a dog like Merv, a scruffy terrier type brought to life by Gus the Dog, would struggle adjusting to divided living arrangements. Whether this premise a full holiday film on this conflict works effectively is a questionable prospect.Standard Holiday Fare
Fairness demands noting, Merv, crafted by its screenwriters and under the guidance of Jessica Swale, doesn't pretend to be deeper than a light film. This is a Christmas movie from a corporate studio – the ambitions are modest. The plot unfolds as uncomplicated: a separated couple Russ, played by Charlie Cox and Anna, portrayed by Zooey Deschanel, forced to acknowledge that their individual funk is rivaled only by their dog's, take a therapeutic trip to a canine-centric retreat. There, inevitably, they will surely stumble toward the idea that they are better together. Ensemble players – played by familiar faces – serve as eccentric, underutilized, or over-the-top. Visually has the quality of a platform's in-house production, with a wintry atmosphere that is obviously artificial – as seen in flurries piled on green trees as a warm climate substitutes for the Northeast.
The Dog's Domain
If these familiar elements come together into an entertaining watch hinges on the actors' work and the viewer's appetite for easy entertainment. For the comfort factor, Merv hones in on a demographic – the kind who browse regularly for dog videos. Audiences receive a plethora of scenes focused on the pet. The main attraction is the canine star, and though it results in some awkward editing between the pet's "lines" and the actors' responses, the movie delivers on dog beach fun, canine sorrow, and, in the end, pure puppy happiness.
The Two-Legged Cast
Such effectiveness cannot be applied for the human side of the story. Its style wavers between relationship drama, broad humor, standard rom-com beats, and outright slapstick, never fully committing to any one mode. The fault lies not with Cox's performance, who is willing to embrace the absurd and awkward inherent in the unusual premise. Cox exhibits a endearing lack of ego that supplies the bulk of the chemistry for this on-the-rocks couple. Anna's portrayer, true to her usual style, injects a certain millennial quirkiness that will click for some but not others. Her Anna comes across as a bit too dry, notably when contrasted against Cox's heartfelt sincerity. (For what it's worth, Merv himself succeeds in looking despondent – while no Messi from that acclaimed drama, he's definitely an excellent dog.)
Merv tries to give weight to Anna and Russ's relationship for sequences focusing solely on them – a bit of a pity, since the title character is easily the most adorable aspect of this feel-good picture. Expectedly, it achieves only baseline competence. The catalyst for the split might seem more grounded and mature with more screen time and less blunt explanation. In the end, Merv is light and sugary, fulfilling precisely what you anticipate. Creating a movie about dog co-parenting is not terrible – even if it's hardly a great one either.
- Merv becomes available on Amazon Prime Video starting December 10.
